David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos with the keyword: BMMO

Friday 28 February 2014 (1539) - This building was once the ‘Stratford Blue’ (Stratford-upon-Avon Blue Motors Limited) bus garage, the rearward half (with darker and original asbestos roof) is occupied by the local branch of the ‘Kwik Fit’ tyre company. The forward half (with the newer lighter coloured roof) is currently vacant since ‘Much ado about toys’ ceased trading in October 2013. I imagine the buses entered the garage through what is the Kwik Fit doorway and left the garage by the front door leading on to Bridgefoot. (P.S. Kwik Fit later expanded to also occupy what had been the toy shop area). ‘Stratford Blue’ was one of the smaller British Electric Traction Group bus companies owned by, but operated separately from, what was one of the largest British bus companies - ‘Midland Red’ (BMMO). ‘Stratford Blue’ operated around 40 vehicles and, in addition to the Stratford garage, had a smaller one in Kineton. The company was used for junior managers to gain operating experience on their way up the career ladder. We stayed at the Premier Inn, the fawn coloured building beyond and parallel to the old garage. Our room window was the seventh from the left.

Thursday 27 February 2014 (1127) - This building was once the ‘Stratford Blue ’(Stratford-upon-Avon Blue Motors Limited) bus garage, the rearward half (with darker and original asbestos roof) is occupied by the local branch of the ‘Kwik Fit’ tyre company. The forward half (with the newer lighter coloured roof) is currently vacant since ‘Much ado about toys’ ceased trading in October 2013. I imagine the buses entered the garage through what is the Kwik Fit doorway and left the garage by the front door leading on to Bridgefoot. (P.S. Kwik Fit later expanded to also occupy what had been the toy shop area). ‘Stratford Blue’ was one of the smaller British Electric Traction Group bus companies owned by, but operated separately from, what was one of the largest British bus companies - ‘Midland Red’ (BMMO). ‘Stratford Blue’ operated around 40 vehicles and, in addition to the Stratford garage had a smaller one in Kineton. We stayed at the Premier Inn, the fawn coloured building beyond and parallel to the old garage. Our room window was the sixth from the left.

Thursday 27 February 2014 (1547) - The view from our room window of the Premier Inn at Stratford-upon-Avon. The rooftop alongside was once the bus garage of ‘Stratford Blue’ (Stratford-upon-Avon Blue Motors Limited). The rear part of the roof which covered the local branch of the ‘Kwik Fit’ tyre company appeared to remain from the bus garage days. The front part had been replaced over the part which had housed ‘Much ado about toys’ a large toy and model shop which unfortunately ceased trading in October 2013. (P.S. Kwik Fit later expanded to also occupy what had been the toy shop area). The garden and car park of the Red Lion pub (centre left) formed the ‘Stratford Blue’ bus station. Today Johnsons Coaches of Henley-in-Arden is a very active company providing bus services not only in the town but also to other towns in the West Midlands and Warwickshire. One of their Optare Solos is setting out on a town service. The River Avon runs across the photograph in the distance beyond the narrow boats in the canal basin. The Stratford Canal starts here and forms a waterway link to the West Midlands and beyond.

Thursday 27 February 2014 (1538) - This shop front was once the front door of the ‘Stratford Blue’ (Stratford-upon-Avon Blue Motors Limited) bus garage. ‘Much ado about toys’ unfortunately ceased trading in October 2013 so I was unable to have a look inside. However, the rear part of the building is active as the home to the local branch of the ‘Kwik Fit’ tyre company. (P.S. Kwik Fit later expanded to also occupy what had been the toy shop area). ‘Stratford Blue’ was one of the smaller British Electric Traction Group bus companies owned by, but operated separately from, what was one of the largest British bus companies - ‘Midland Red’ (BMMO). ‘Stratford Blue’ operated around 40 vehicles and, in addition to the Stratford garage had a smaller one in Kineton. We stayed at the Premier Inn, the entrance to which is beneath the canopy on the right of the photo. Our room overlooked the roof of the old garage property.

Thursday 27 February 2014 (1537) - Stratford-upon-Avon: The garden and car park of the Red Lion pub(extreme right) were once part of the ‘Stratford Blue’ bus station and the bus garage was the building across the road (beyond the traffic light). The rear part of the former garage is occupied by the ‘Kwik Fit’ tyre company although the front part was now empty following the bankruptcy of a large toy and model shop (‘Much ado about toys’) which closed in late 2013. The colourful posters remained in situ. (P.S. Kwik Fit later expanded to also occupy what had been the toy shop area). ‘Stratford Blue’ (Stratford-upon-Avon Blue Motors Limited) was one of the smaller British Electric Traction Group bus companies owned by, but operated separately from, what was one of the largest British bus companies - ‘Midland Red’ (BMMO). ‘Stratford Blue’ operated around 40 vehicles and, in addition to the Stratford garage had a smaller one in Kineton. We stayed at the Premier Inn - our room was the seventh window from the left above the roof line of the former garage.

Thursday 27 February 2014 (1537) - Stratford-upon-Avon: The garden and car park of the Red Lion pub were once part of the ‘Stratford Blue’ bus station and the bus garage was the building across the road (beyond the green traffic light). The rear part of the former garage is occupied by the ‘Kwik Fit’ tyre company although the front part was now empty following the bankruptcy of a large toy and model shop (‘Much ado about toys’) which closed in late 2013. The colourful posters remained in situ. (P.S. Kwik Fit later expanded to also occupy what had been the toy shop area). ‘Stratford Blue’ (Stratford-upon-Avon Blue Motors Limited) was one of the smaller British Electric Traction Group bus companies owned by, but operated separately from, what was one of the largest British bus companies - ‘Midland Red’ (BMMO). ‘Stratford Blue’ operated around 40 vehicles and, in addition to the Stratford garage had a smaller one in Kineton. We stayed at the Premier Inn - our room was the seventh window from the left above the roof line of the former garage.